2023-2024 Terps Basketball

[Jagwar]

It's revealing that the Terps are 4 games in and nobody has started a thread for the 2023-24 season. This team is already 1-3 and appears to be headed for a really rough road. They've now lost 3 in a row after laying a big turd against Villanova. 

Very disappointing. 

[Finisher]

What an absolute disaster. Willard's teams are godawful on the road. Willard already looking like the wrong guy. I don't get what happened in the offseason. Brought in nobody from the portal and lost Hakim Heart. The freshmen look terrible. Also why are you heaving up endless threes when you can't shoot? Turgeon's teams used to do this nonstop and it drove me crazy.

[Tony-OH]

I usually don't start following them until they get to the Big-10 games because usually they just beat up on the patsies, but apparently, they are the patsies. When was the last time this program started off 1-3? The Wade years? 

I don't follow them as closely as I had in the past, but last year's team seems to have some spunk but they really have stumbled out of the gate. 

Williard did not bring in any impact talent it seems. Maybe he's not the recruiter we were hoping he would be? 

And man, do his teams stink on the road. Wonder why?

[Oriole4Life]

There are a few problems. One, Scott has regressed big time. He can't make shots at all. Young has a bit too, although he had a big game against Penn State. Those two need to score a lot if this team wants to do anything. 

The team has zero depth. None of the freshmen have looked that good. Kaiser finally made some big shots tonight, but has struggled mightily. Same thing with Harris-Smith, he has struggled big time. We are counting on those two being impact players right away, and it doesn't look like they are. Lamothe doesn't get any playing time. There is no one off the bench that is good. Batchelor sort of sucks. Losing Martinez and Hart hurt a lot, they both brought energy and scoring. Long brings a little, but his game is limited.

The good news is the season is still young. The losses against Davidson and UAB were bad without a doubt. Aside from that they don't have any bad losses. If they had lost against Penn State at home, which they almost did, that would have been trouble. 

Julian Reese looks to have improved a lot, I will say that. He is not good at the free throw line, but he is a monster rebounder and can score around the hoop.

Finally, 3 point shooting- they suck. Like really bad. Willard needs to recruit some shooters badly.

If the freshmen improve and Scott finds his game, this team will get better. But I don't have any large hopes for this year. If they make the tournament as an 8-10 that would be a small miracle. 

[Finisher]

On 12/7/2023 at 5:13 AM, Oriole4Life said:

If they had lost against Penn State at home, which they almost did, that would have been trouble.

Seems like a repeat of last year: good at home and completely horrendous on the road.

Just really missing Hart's offense and Martinez's defense. Don't understand how you let those guys get away? The freshmen look like duds. Still, you would think they'd improve almost by default considering how bad they've been. But don't remember a Maryland team being this paper thin basically ever.

Real issue is next year when you lose almost everyone (especially if Reese moves on). Doesn't look like recruiting is getting anywhere. Will need to work the portal but Willard failed there this season.

[Jagwar]

On 12/9/2023 at 3:40 PM, Finisher said:

Seems like a repeat of last year: good at home and completely horrendous on the road.

Just really missing Hart's offense and Martinez's defense. Don't understand how you let those guys get away? The freshmen look like duds. Still, you would think they'd improve almost by default considering how bad they've been. But don't remember a Maryland team being this paper thin basically ever.

Real issue is next year when you lose almost everyone (especially if Reese moves on). Doesn't look like recruiting is getting anywhere. Will need to work the portal but Willard failed there this season.

If I'm reading recruiting sites correctly, Willard has put all of his recruiting hopes into landing Derick Queen for the Class of 2024. There aren't any other commits, and no potential offers of significance. All of Willard's additions would have to come from the transfer portal. IMO, Queen is not going to sign with the Terps. He'll end up at Indiana or Kansas.  

Very frustrating from a Terps fan perspective. Can't Maryland ever hire a coach who can build a solid recruiting base?

[Oriole4Life]

247 has Queen as 100% signing with Maryland, I can only pray that is true. Disappointing that there are no other prospects.

[Jagwar]

11 minutes ago, Oriole4Life said:

247 has Queen as 100% signing with Maryland, I can only pray that is true. Disappointing that there are no other prospects.

I'll bet my left pinky that he signs elsewhere. Especially when the Terps fail to make the tournament and they fail to sign anyone else in the recruiting class. 

[clapdiddy]

On 12/11/2023 at 6:08 AM, Jagwar said:

If I'm reading recruiting sites correctly, Willard has put all of his recruiting hopes into landing Derick Queen for the Class of 2024. There aren't any other commits, and no potential offers of significance. All of Willard's additions would have to come from the transfer portal. IMO, Queen is not going to sign with the Terps. He'll end up at Indiana or Kansas.  

Very frustrating from a Terps fan perspective. Can't Maryland ever hire a coach who can build a solid recruiting base?

You could say this about football, too.   The only Men's sports that are competitive at a national level are lacrosse and recently, baseball.   The move to the Big10 certainly hasn't been a great one.   Maryland needs to get some help...could they use a new AD?

[Jagwar]

1 hour ago, clapdiddy said:

You could say this about football, too.   The only Men's sports that are competitive at a national level are lacrosse and recently, baseball.   The move to the Big10 certainly hasn't been a great one.   Maryland needs to get some help...could they use a new AD?

I suppose that could help. It just seems as if Maryland always makes a relatively safe choice, and eventually it becomes obvious that the coach isn't capable of making the program elite. Gary Williams was amazing for a stretch, but it was clear he was done. Instead of pushing for a young superstar like a Sean Miller or Shaka Smart, they hired Turgeon, who seemed like a good guy but not a good recruiter or in game coach. Once again, instead of going for a coach who could draw top recruits, Maryland went with a safe hire in Willard. So far I can't figure out if he can actually coach, but his recruiting just isn't wowing me (based on Derick Queen being the only real recruiting effort for the class of 2004).

I wonder if Greivis can coach?

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Jagwar said:

I suppose that could help. It just seems as if Maryland always makes a relatively safe choice, and eventually it becomes obvious that the coach isn't capable of making the program elite. Gary Williams was amazing for a stretch, but it was clear he was done. Instead of pushing for a young superstar like a Sean Miller or Shaka Smart, they hired Turgeon, who seemed like a good guy but not a good recruiter or in game coach. Once again, instead of going for a coach who could draw top recruits, Maryland went with a safe hire in Willard. So far I can't figure out if he can actually coach, but his recruiting just isn't wowing me (based on Derick Queen being the only real recruiting effort for the class of 2004).

I wonder if Greivis can coach?

I am by no means an expert but it seemed to me that Turgeon could recruit but he couldn't develop them once he got them.

Didn't he have some highly regarded classes?

[Jagwar]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I am by no means an expert but it seemed to me that Turgeon could recruit but he couldn't develop them once he got them.

Didn't he have some highly regarded classes?

Highly regarded doesn't always translate to successful teams right? As I look back there were actually some solid recruits, but some fails too. 

A few come to mind who were solid... Layman, Heurter, Trimble, Cowan, Morsell, Fernando, Jalen Smith, Scott

More come to mind who were duds... Cleare, Roddy Peters, Diamond Stone, Justin Jackson, the Mitchell twins, James Graham, Cornish, nobody in the class of 2022

[Oriole4Life]

I would rate Turgeon as a fairly good recruiter actually.  As far as coaching and developing talent, average.  Then preparation and in-game coaching is where he failed the most.

Need to give Willard time.  It's difficult to bring in top 50 recruits every year, only a few blue chip programs like Duke, Kansas, etc. do that on a consistent basis.  That being said it is critical if you want to truly compete year in and year out.  And the transfer portal has added a whole new dimension.  Don't undervalue Queen, if he could get him that would be major, would be the highest recruit Maryland has had since Jalen Smith.  There are a couple other possibilities, Bryson Tucker, SF from Bishop O'Connell being the main target, and Malachi Palmer a combo guard from Mt. Zion Prep and also the highest ranked player from the state of Maryland.

I watched some of the game tonight.  Hard to evaluate against a scrub team like Alcorn State, but the whole team played way better.  Nice to see Harris-Smith and Kaiser hit some long-range shots.  Even Batchelor hit a couple.  Gonna need that from them not just this year but their entire careers at Maryland.

[Tony-OH]

11 hours ago, Oriole4Life said:

I would rate Turgeon as a fairly good recruiter actually.  As far as coaching and developing talent, average.  Then preparation and in-game coaching is where he failed the most.

Need to give Willard time.  It's difficult to bring in top 50 recruits every year, only a few blue chip programs like Duke, Kansas, etc. do that on a consistent basis.  That being said it is critical if you want to truly compete year in and year out.  And the transfer portal has added a whole new dimension.  Don't undervalue Queen, if he could get him that would be major, would be the highest recruit Maryland has had since Jalen Smith.  There are a couple other possibilities, Bryson Tucker, SF from Bishop O'Connell being the main target, and Malachi Palmer a combo guard from Mt. Zion Prep and also the highest ranked player from the state of Maryland.

I watched some of the game tonight.  Hard to evaluate against a scrub team like Alcorn State, but the whole team played way better.  Nice to see Harris-Smith and Kaiser hit some long-range shots.  Even Batchelor hit a couple.  Gonna need that from them not just this year but their entire careers at Maryland.

They need to play Alcorn State every night! That was fun to watch. Maybe it will jump start the outside shooting?

[Jagwar]

Encouraging win away against UCLA. Jahmir Young with 37 points, which was needed because Julian Reese had 1 point and fouled out with like 5+ minutes to play. 

The Terps are likely to be bottom feeders next year. Their depth is awful, and they lose Young, Scott and likely Reese next year. I wouldn't be shocked if Harris-Smith enters the portal. And Willard is putting all of his recruiting eggs into the Derick Queen basket, but I believe he will end up somewhere else.